The liberal state senator from Melrose easily defeated Republican Frank Addivinola and two other candidates in the 5th Congressional District special election.

Clark won with more than 65 percent of the vote to Addivinola’s 32 percent, according to unofficial voting tallies. Independent James Aulenti of Wellesley and Justice Peace Security Party candidate James O. Hall of Arlington trailed far behind in votes.

Turnout was low in MetroWest and throughout the district, which stretches from Southborough to Winthrop. While Clark won the district by a wide margin, in MetroWest, in unofficial tallies, the results were closer. Clark outdistanced Addivinola, 7,960-6,972.

To the tune of Katy Perry's "Roar", Clark took the stage at her victory party, joined by her husband, Rodney, their three sons, Attorney General Martha Coakley and Melrose Mayor Rob Dolan.

"I have three words for you: We did it!" Clark told cheering supporters in a ballroom at Montvale Plaza in Stoneham.

Clark thanked her campaign staff and hundreds of volunteers who started campaigning, as she said, by knocking on doors in the heat of the summer and finished strong on a freezing cold December day.

She recalled her meetings with voters around kitchen tables, talking about her campaign vows to fight for pay equity, jobs, schools, gun safety and seniors and veterans.

"It was more than just a campaign platform," Clark said. "We sent a message to the extremists in Congress that it is time to get back to work for middle-class families."

The seat became vacant earlier this year when longtime Democratic Rep. Markey won a special election to fill the Senate seat left open after John Kerry was named secretary of state.

Clark will fill out the remainder of Markey's two-year term and face re-election next fall.

Addivinola, a Boston attorney, who gathered with supporters in his hometown of Malden, called the results "disappointing," but said he’s appreciative of the hard work of his campaign volunteers and the support he earned from voters.

"It’s unfortunate that only about 10 percent of the registered voters voted," Addivinola said.

The snowy weather, voter fatigue after a string of recent elections and the timing in the middle of the holiday season all combined to bring down turnout totals, officials said.

It was a slow day at the polls in Ashland, for instance, as evidenced by the voter count at 7 p.m., an hour before voting closed.

"Out of 10,000 voters, we had 932 come out, so that’s low," Assistant Town Clerk Rose Miranda said. "But we still have one hour to go."

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After serving in the U.S. House for more than 30 years, Markey resigned after winning a special election in June for John Kerry’s former seat in the U.S. Senate.

The chance to send a new representative to Washington brought some voters out.

"I think Katherine Clark is going to be a great successor to Ed Markey, and I liked Markey a lot," voter Betty Lehrman said as she left her polling place in Framingham.

Fellow Framingham voter John Morrocco, who is unenrolled, said he also cast his ballot for Clark.

"I just don’t think the Republicans are doing a great job," Morrocco said. "The Democrats aren’t great, but I think (they’re going) in a better direction."

In Natick, Bart Adler, who votes Republican "nine times out of 10," said he supported Addivinola, while his wife went with Clark.

"I voted the party line," Adler said. "We cancel each other’s votes out, but we do the American thing."

Ron Williams, who, like Adler, is unenrolled, voted for Clark, hoping that she’ll represent MetroWest well even though she lives on the other side of the district.

At Clark’s victory party, state Rep. David Linsky, D-Natick, said he’s excited to see his former colleague in the State House now going to Congress.

"She is always very responsive to her constituents," he said, "and I’m very confident that she will be very responsive and affective for the people of MetroWest."